Food Marketing to Children on U.S. Spanish-Language Television

Abstract

Latino children in particular are at risk of childhood obesity. Because exposure to televised food marketing is a contributor to childhood obesity, it is important to examine the nutritional quality of foods advertised on Spanish-language children's programming. The authors analyzed a sample of 158 Spanish-language children's television programs for its advertising content and compared them with an equivalent sample of English-language advertising. The authors evaluated nutritional quality of each advertised product using a food rating system from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, the authors assessed compliance with industry self-regulatory pledges. The authors found that amount of food advertising on Spanish-language channels (M = 2.2 ads/hour) was lower than on English-language programs, but the nutritional quality of food products on Spanish-language channels was substantially poorer than on English channels. Industry self-regulation was less effective on Spanish-language channels. The study provides clear evidence of significant disparities. Food advertising targeted at Spanish-speaking children is more likely to promote nutritionally poor food products than advertising on English-language channels. Industry self-regulation is less effective on Spanish-language television channels. Given the disproportionately high rate of childhood obesity among Latinos, the study's findings hold important implications for public health policy.

Trends in racial/ethnic and income disparities in foods and beverages consumed and purchased from stores among US households with children, 2000–2013,

“…However, there have been no studies on racial/ethnic-or income-specific food wastage to date (25,26). Meanwhile, studies on food marketing toward children suggest that the food industry may be marketing certain NB products more heavily toward NHB and lower-income areas (27)(28)(29)(30) or marketing nutritionally poor food products toward Spanishspeaking children (31), affecting their food culture (32). This might encourage brand loyalty and could explain the slower decline among NHB, Hispanic, and lowest-income households over time for HWCF and other NB foods.…”

Home Environmental Influences on Childhood Obesity in the Latino Population: A Decade Review of Literature

“…Across the studies included in this review, television viewing was associated with a higher weight status for children who viewed more than 2 hours of television per day compared to those who did not. 19,20 Studies also showed higher rates of TVs in bedrooms of Latino (74%) children compared with white children (22%). 18 …”

Digital Food and Beverage Marketing Environments in a National Sample of Middle Schools: Implications for Policy and Practice

“…Most schools (92%) issue digital devices such as laptops and tablets to students and require them to access the Internet on these devices at school and for homework. This was especially true for districts serving primarily minority students, underscoring existing evidence which demonstrates that students in those districts are at greater risk of exposure to food marketing …”

“…Children are exposed to unhealthy food advertising in many settings and by a variety of channels, including electronic media . In addition, compared with white children, African‐American and Latino children—who are at higher risk of obesity and diet‐related chronic disease—are exposed to higher levels of marketing for unhealthy food and beverages …”